Photo: ELLE
I don’t know about you guys, but as soon as summer temperatures start to creep in, my entire makeup routine needs an overhaul. After all, when it’s super hot and humid outside, most traditional cosmetics will start to melt right off of your face!
Well, this year, I’m going to help you prevent that from happening by sharing some of my favorite sweat-proof and waterproof drugstore and high-end products. Invest in these picks, and you’ll look fresh and presentable all season long… no matter how many degrees it may be outdoors.Read on to check out my picks:
1. Tinted Moisturizer, BB cream, or Lightweight Foundation
If you’ve used a regular liquid foundation during the summer, then you know about the melting, pooling, and caking that can occur. In addition, most regular liquid foundations don’t have SPF, which is so essential in the summer.
If you want lightweight, hydrating, melt-proof coverage with SPF this summer, I recommend trying a BB cream, tinted moisturizer, or some sort of lightweight, creamy foundation as opposed to a traditional liquid. Here are four of my faves:
China Doll foundation from Napoleon Perdis is originally priced at $50, but was on sale for $25(!) at Ulta, which is the only reason why I picked it up. Plus I was looking for something lightweight that also has sun protection (SPF 15). This foundation offers full coverage but honestly feels like you’re not wearing anything – just make sure to use sparingly, as it can look cakey if you apply too much.
NOTE: This foundation is now sold out in most stores but you can still get it on eBay. We’ll update with store listings when it restocks!
Another great high-end option is Smashbox’s Camera Ready BB Cream. This product is $39, can be found at Sephora or Ulta, and is one of my favorite BB creams of all time. It’s so lightweight, but has amazing coverage, protection (SPF 35) and is ultra sweat-proof.
A cheaper foundation that I have raved about before is CoverGirl’s NatureLuxe foundation. This foundation smells like fresh cucumbers, has amazing coverage, is extremely lightweight, and has an SPF of 10 (not the best, but better than nothing). I seriously re-purchase this foundation every time I run out – I love it!
If you’re looking for a drugstore brand BB cream, I recommend Maybelline’s Dream Fresh BB Cream. It doesn’t have the best coverage, but it does color correct and moisturize while providing protection from the sun. I like this product for those days when it’s unbearably hot and you don’t want to lift yourself off the couch (or from in front of the fan).
2. Concealer
If you have serious blemishes or dark circles to cover, the last thing you want to worry about is your concealer evaporating halfway through a hot day, or getting splashed away at the pool.
Below are the two waterproof concealers that I recommend most. Both of these products are extremely good at providing medium to full coverage while staying put on your face throughout a hot summer day.
Make Up For Ever’s waterproof concealer is long-lasting, provides full coverage, and is super lightweight, but is also a bit pricey at $32. However, I purchased this product two years ago and it is still going strong, meaning you get a lot of bang for your buck. I really trust this product with covering my problem areas and staying on my face all day – even when I’m swimming!
An inexpensive concealer I recommend is NYX’s waterproof concealer stick. It’s very creamy, has good coverage, lasts all day (through sweat and water), and is so budget-friendly at under $5.
3. Setting Powder
In the summer heat, it’s important to go with a lightweight, mineral powder to set your foundation and/or concealer – any others will make you feel like you’re wearing pounds of makeup!
Both of these setting powders below will help to ensure that your foundation and concealer aren’t going anywhere throughout the day:
NYX’s Mineral “Set It & Don’t Fret It” is a great drugstore find that will help to keep your makeup on all day and give your face an extremely matte finish.
If you’re looking for a higher-end product with a little bit of illuminating power, then bareMinerals’ Mineral Veil will give you a great, all-day finish while adding a bit of sheen.
4. Blush
There are several different blushes that can be worn in the summertime, ranging from liquids to creams to mousses. I wouldn’t recommend wearing any powder blushes because they will feel heavy and may leave a cakey appearance after a few hours.
These two blushes are the ones that I love and swear by:
NYX’s Rouge Cream Blushes come in various shades and are extremely easy to blend and apply. I love the color they give – they’re subtle yet beautiful!
Benefit’s Benetint is a product that can be worn not only as a blush, but also as a lip color. It’s a beautiful light red stain and stays on your face or lips all day long. It also smells delicious, kind of like cherries!
Tip: Both of these blushes come in colors that can also be used as a highlight (on top of your cheek bones and down the bridge of your nose). If you’re looking for a highlight shade in these products, look for a light shimmery champagne or light shimmery golden bronze color – they will look fabulous in the sunlight.
5. Eyeshadow
If you’re looking for a little color for your lids, then I would recommend using a cream-based product, since they stay put if you begin to sweat or are going for a swim. Primer helps any eyeshadow to stay on longer, however, these products wont be needing any setters – they stick on your eyes all day long!
I really love using cream eyeshadows during the summer because it takes literally 1 second to apply and gives your eyes a beautiful shimmery effect while staying on all day long! Seriously, I’ll get out of the water and these are still on my eyelids!
Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Cream is insanely pigmented, waterproof, and beautiful. There are so many different colors to choose from that you may become overwhelmed. What’s cool about this product in particular is that it can do double duty as a highlight, blush, and lip color, as it is made to be safe for eyes and lips.
Maybelline’s Color Tattoo also comes in a range of beautiful shades, however these are not advertised to be safe to use on your lips – of course you can use them as a highlight or blush, though! What Maybelline has that MUFE doesn’t, though, is an even bigger range of colors with multiple different iridescent glitters and shimmers. (In addition, Maybelline’s shadow is lower priced.) It’s all personal preference, though!
6. Eyeliner
Eyeliner is totally optional in the summertime (as, really are any of these other products that I’ve mentioned). However, you know how much I love my cat eyeliner – I’m obsessed! So a good waterproof liquid liner is a summer essential for me.
Below are two of my favorite picks:
Stila’s Stay All Day is a waterproof liquid eyeliner pen. Because it’s a pen, it gives you more control because the brush isn’t flimsy. I really like this product because it comes in so many different shades AND will stay on through a fun day in the sun.
If you’re looking for a more affordable waterproof eyeliner, I recommend Wet n’ Wild’s H2O Proof. This product stays on all day, through the water and sweat, and can even be a little bit difficult to take off with just water. (You’ll need to use a high-quality eye makeup remover.) For just $3 you get an amazing eyeliner, however, the brush can sometimes be a little flimsy so be careful when you’re applying it!
7. Mascara
There are so many waterproof mascaras out there – you really can’t go wrong with high-end or drugstore brands. Here are the three waterproof mascaras I swear by:
I personally prefer drugstore mascara to high-end mascara because it needs to be replaced so often. However, one high-end waterproof mascara that I really loved was Urban Decay’s Cannonball mascara. This made my eyelashes miles long and ultra-defined.
Maybelline’s Falsies mascara is also amazing and is a lot cheaper than Urban Decay. My lashes looks awesome and thick when I apply this mascara, I love love love the way they look!
Even though I love Maybelline, CoverGirl’s LashBlast will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s waterproof, lengthening, defining, and just amazing. I love the way my lashes look when I use this mascara (and it doesn’t hurt that it’s incredibly waterproof!).
Thoughts?
Have you ever tried any of these products before? What is your summer makeup routine? What are some other sweat-proof water proof makeup products that you recommend? Let me know in the comments below!
How about sun block and nothing else? It’s my favorite make-up for summer holiday 🙂
I agree with Marisa
Sunblock is an essential…….who wears make up to the beach (except kim kardashian) 🙂
I do, and a lot of other people obviously do too as you can see.
Thank you for this post. My foundation sweated off of me a few days ago, and it was not pleasant. The only trick now is finding a lightweight one in the right color.
I get my eyelashes permed and tinted in the summer, so I always look like I have mascara on, then I just wear a matte primer (for shine) sunscreen and Burt’s Bees tinted Chapstick. Just did this for vacation and Hawaii and it was so low maintenance and perfect for swimming in the ocean and humidity.
Actually, the Bene-Tint that’s pictured is very distinctly rose scented. If you don’t like the smell of rose, you probably won’t like it. I have a bottle that’s lasted me a year and it’s not even halfway empty. It’s one of my favorite products for summer, hands down.
Hey Ladies! So I’m a make-up artist for Bare Minerals, and I think its important to note that our Mineral Veil Finishing powder also have SPF 15 or 25 in it (depending on the one you buy)! We have a lot of women who put only this on and use it as a sunscreen, but they also get the pretty flawless finish. For those of you who only wear sunscreen, (which is amazing and really really smart,) the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil might be an incredible option also.
Lots of moisturizing products make me break out or itch. Thank GOD I found the Citrus Clear Control Moisturizer because I can use it liberally and my face feels instantly fresh! There is no waiting necessary. You can instantly apply your makeup after and it is 0% oily.
I typically can not sleep in other moisturizers without waking up with little white heads (gross) and I can apply Citrus Clear morning and night after i wash my face. Even my toddler uses it in the winter on his little cheeks.
Any non comedogenic lotion should provide moisture without making your skin feel oily, Cetaphil Oil Control works well for my combination skin.
Another really good waterproof eyeliner is the urban decay liquid eyeliner pen. Went to the beach on a trip it lasted all day between the pool, ocean, sunscreen, and the heat/sweating. Good waterproof mascara, Revlon Lash potion. helps volumes, gives length, AND helps your lashes grow. (I have very short thin lashes and extremely sensitive skin) To top it all off, before I apply ANY type of make up, Benefit stay flawless 15-hour primer is AMAZING. Again beach all day, makeup did NOT move at all. Friends were really impressed! hoped some of this helped!
I was born and raised in Florida, so, a trip to the beach could come at any moment… So if you had been at work, or at school, or a number of other activities, you might find yourself at some point in the day on your way to the beach….therefore, have (potentially) a face full of make up on! Plus, I’ve been getting ready to go do one thing, only to have the plans change midway through… But now I’ve already got make up on and no time to take it all back off… Those are the times when having waterproof makeup on is a bonus! 🙂
I have tricky. severe acne prone, combination skin. I’ve slowly learned to use a toner, then a non comedogenic moisturizer, followed by a really good 15+ hour primer, then your concealer, foundation, touch-up with concealer, if you contour now’s when you apply it, then finally a makeup setter. In a pinch I sometimes lightly spritz my face with an aerosol hairspray (sounds crazy, but it works, and keeps eyebrows from moving out of place), but a matte foundation setter works really well. When I’m out in the world, and start sweating I just lightly dab my face with a tissue or paper towel, the makeup stays on. If it happens to come off I have a matching matte powder foundation I touch up with, it looks natural and works like a charm. If you do your eyebrows, I’ve learned that tinting or NYX waterproofing gel for eyebrows never comes off when wet (as long as you don’t scrub your face while wearing gel).
I’ve tried drugstore and high-end waterproof mascara and I always end up with it under my eye after only 2 hours. How come this only happens to me ?
I break out really bad with mineral make-up. What setter can you suggest that’s mineral free?
The Laura Mercier powered is great but if you want a cheaper alternative the Cody air spun and the rimmel translucent powder is great too.
Estee Lauder Doublewear mascara stays on without smudging and washes off with facewash (no fancy makeup remover needed). I don’t know how they do it but it’s the only mascara I’ve worn for years. However, I’ve not tried swimming in it, but I use it everyday in Florida’s heat and it doesn’t smudge or flake. I also recently started using Covergirl Ageless foundation (Ellen D.), with bare minerals translucent touch-up Veil. This foundation is the only one I’ve found that covers a brown mark on my cheek and little sunspots on the sides of my face. I’ve tried the Covergirl concealer, which was terrible.
i like water proof sunblock , which i think most important thing on beach. maskra and eyeshadow is secondary option specially when on Date
I have the most oily skin in the world it’s hormonal sweat and oil and severe hot flashes even in winter even though I’m not menopausal the only waterproof sweat proof foundation I’ve tried that works is Makeup forever mat foundation and the new MAc long wear waterproof foundation both re good coverage however the Mac is very thick and doesn’t set for a long time I’m definitely intrigued by the napolian perdis one and the nude concealer now though
What would you recommend for oily skin? My skin is VERY oily, it seems that no matter what I use in less than an hour my face is super shiny, I’m trying to find the right makeup, especially foundation, to use for the summer but I never know what will work best with my oily skin and what will just make it worse.
i have like craaaaazy oily skin so I use Becca mattifying primer and im going to try the Skindinavia oil control spray as well
My favorite waterproof liner is MAC’s waterproof gel liner. I have it in midnight blue and it is incredible. It only smudges when you want it to.
Revlon Photo Ready waterproof mascara never runs or smudges. I have long lashes that rest on the outer corner of my eyes even when I heat curl them, so I end up with smudge there everyday. The Photo Ready water proof is the only mascara that has not left me looking like I just had a crying jag (and held up through my own breakdowns) and has been my go to for 3 years. It adds volume and length.
Aveeno tinted moisturizer does not hold up to swimming and will melt into your eyes during any activity or just wearing for about 8-10 hours.
I tried the wet n’ wild h20 proof liquid eyeliner, and it was impossible to put on. The “wand” thing is just a stick, and doesn’t curve to your lash line at all. It’s super waterproof though. But I couldn’t get a straight line, so I never used it.
Also does anyone know any brown stick eyeliners that are WATERPROOF? I’m looking for a good one that stays on..
The people suggesting only sunscreen & no other makeup must have perfect skin & features. If you have acne, wearing makeup is a must – even if you’re at the beach. And if I don’t wear eye liner or mascara, my eyes look all beady & weird! I LOVE that Wet n Wild H2O proof. It doesn’t budge until you use cream makeup remover. Since I have oily skin, I use it every day. My favorite foundation for summer is the Estee Lauder Double Wear. I use it with the Mattify Cosmetics Ultra Powder to help stop the oiliness. The combo lasts for about 4 hours in high humidity before I need touch ups or oil blotter sheets. Unfortunately, going anywhere without foundation on is not an option for me.